Rodrigo Lopez is photo and video artist from Mexico based in New York City. He holds an MFA in Photography from Yale University. His work has been exhibited at the Masur Museum, the A.D Gallery of Pembroke University, the Lincoln Art Gallery, and the Yancey Richardson Gallery among others. His images show varied approaches to the still-life imagery and studio practices that reflect interest in domestic narratives related to the cyclical use and consumption of domestic objects and space. For his latest series “High Water” he uses his camera to reflect on his family history. The ethos of this series was the passing of a close family member and inheriting objects that connect him to long term family memories. In his work, he questions his ownership of these objects and the future transfer of them to the youngest of his family.
High water
I decided to do these images after inheriting objects from grandmother. She was a story teller and an avid reader who always held a special relationship to books and to her library. When she began to lose her sight, she started using a lamp with a magnifying glass to keep up with her daily reading. She did this until her eyes completely gave up. Her passing came at a time when my nuclear family was growing and welcoming new members, causing thoughts of loss and joy that settled in for some time. I inherited part of her library and some decorations that stood still in her house for many years: a painting, a wooden table, a chandelier, a porcelain figure among others.
My ownership of these objects and the welcoming of new family members marked as much as an ending as a beginning in my family history. I kept reflecting about my relationship to these objects and foreseeing the youngest of my family as the future owners. This work is a reflection of that experience.
To view more of Rodrigo Lopez’s work please visit his website.